Die Hard C4 Elevator

[Edward_The_Head]

@Stranger_On_A_Train

McClane watches the elevator go down and stop at that floor. He earlier got a glimpse of the rocket launcher (or at least the crates containing it and the munitions) earlier in the film while escaping upward (though why they had it on such a high floor initially defies explanation since they clearly intend to use it from a lower floor).

I will have to pay closer attention the next time I watch it. I don’t remember him watching the elevator, and I don’t remember the rocket launcher being so close to the ground. The first time I thought it was up on 31 or so. I always thought the explosion took out the ground floor and thought the cop said something about it too. I’ll just have to rewatch it.

@Jack_Batty

Here’s what always bugged me about that scene (and I’m sure I’ll be educated if my consternation is unfounded):

Let’s just take for granted that an impact will trip the detonators; now, John shoves in one then two then says, “fuck it,” and shoves in another. My question is … what difference would that make? Wouldn’t one detonator be sufficient to cause detonstion? If John had stuck 27 detonators in the thing would he have blown up LA completely?

What did he care if he used 1,2 or 27 detonators, he didn’t need them any more. I was under the impression that he just stuck them all in there to get rid of them, which is exactly what I would do, he doesn’t need detonators, the terrorists do.

@TriPolar

You know, this can all be resolved with a simple test. Where’s the nearest high-rise bank building?

Mythbusters, final season, final myth.

[bbonden]

@Edward_The_Head

I will have to pay closer attention the next time I watch it. I don’t remember him watching the elevator, and I don’t remember the rocket launcher being so close to the ground. The first time I thought it was up on 31 or so. I always thought the explosion took out the ground floor and thought the cop said something about it too. I’ll just have to rewatch it.

While the plot may be clockwork, I’ve always been bothered by the building geography. The party is on a high floor, but not the highest, right? (Doesn’t McClane travel down with Tony’s body?) One would think that the floor with the waterfall and for the big execs would be the top floor.

So what floor is the conference room/demo floor where Takagi gets it? It’s close enough to the party that everyone hears the gunshot but close enough to the ground that McClane can hit a patrol car with a body thrown out the window.

As noted, the anti-tank missile was fired from a low floor but McClane saw it on a high floor.

And where was the vault?

[Bryan_Ekers]

@bbonden

And where was the vault?

The thirtieth floor!
Link

[Grestarian]

@TriPolar

You know, this can all be resolved with a simple test. Where’s the nearest high-rise bank building?

Oh, well, it used to be right over there…

But, ummm, well…

Remember the end of Fight Club?
:smack:
—G!

[Disgruntled_Penguin]

@Stranger_On_A_Train

As primary explosives, detonators are sensitive to mechanical shock, but the manner in which they are used in the film would not be very reliable.

But then, John McClane wouldn’t have survived jumping off of a roof woth a firehose wrapped around his waist or grabbing a duct opening with his fingertips after falling several floors, either. Die Hard, while remarkably consistent in plotting, operates in the realm of movie physics not far separated from Warner Bros. cartoons.

Stranger

Thanks for that. That perfectly explains how I feel about that movie but I couldn’t find the words to explain it. Remarkably consistent in plotting nails it. That’s why that movie was so refreshing to me.